The chlorinity that appears in this equation is also a defined quantity and does
not represent the actual amount of chlorine in a sample of sea water. Both salinity
and chlorinity are always expressed in grams per kilogram of sea waterthat is, in
parts per thousand, or per mille, for which the symbol is used.
CHLORINITY. In the titration with silver nitrate, bromides and iodides are
precipitated together with the chlorides, but in the computation it is assumed that
they are chlorides. Chlorinity was therefore originally defined as the total amount of
chlorine, bromine, and iodine in grams contained in one kilogram of sea water,
assuming that the bromine and the iodine had been replaced by chlorine. This
definition introduces a chlorine-equivalent that is dependent upon the atomic
weights used in preparing the standard solutions. Since the time of the work of the
International Commission, there have been changes in the atomic weights, and the
relation between salinity and chlorinity as defined above is no longer strictly true. In
order to retain this relationship and to avoid apparent changes in the chlorinity of
sea water it has fortunately been possible to redefine chlorinity so that it is
independent of changes in atomic weights.
The primary standard used in the determination of chlorinity is so-called
Normal Water (Eau de mer normale), prepared by the Hydrographical Laboratories
in Copenhagen, Denmark, and distributed to all oceanographic institutions. Some of
these institutions made their own secondary standards by means of the Normal
Water. As a result of world conditions the preparation of Normal Water has
temporarily been taken over by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Normal Water is sea water whose chlorinity has been adjusted to about 19.4
and accurately determined by either direct or indirect comparisons with the original
standard prepared in 1902. Hence, the chlorinities of all batches have been
independent of changes in the atomic weights. A new primary standard (Urnormal1937), prepared in 1937, will be used to establish the chlorinity of future batches of
Normal Water for general distribution (Jacobsen and Knudsen, 1940). Comparison
with earlier series of Normal Water showed the chlorinity of the new standard to be
19.381 . As a more absolute method should be available with which to check
future Normal Water preparations, the 1937 primary standard was analyzed, using
extremely pure atomic weight silver. The equivalent amount of silver necessary to
precipitate the halides was determined and the ratio of chlorinity to silver was found
to be 0.3285233. On this basis a new definition of chlorinity was